How did the AFL get the Giants so right?!

[radiojake]

the song is awesome and anyone who thinks otherwise doesn't appreciate nice things

 

[1980GFVideo]

FInally, they seemed to go with head office bureacrats at start up rather than people from successful football club cultures

Thought Malcolm Blight was given a big role up there.

first CEO Travis Auld was an Essendon administrator.

 

[00Stinger]

Effectively giving them access to the best young talent for 4 drafts helped

 

[Marcel Proust]

Twice as many draft picks...

as the suns

about, iirc

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

Having recruiting genius Steve Silvagni helped GWS a lot also..

 

[kane249]

I think GWS laid the ground work for a good club culture and setting a standard when they got the likes of Cornes, McDonald and a few senior heads in for those first few years.

That being said they've also managed to draft and develop talent better than their northern cousins.

 

[Marcel Proust]

Having recruiting genius Steve Silvagni helped GWS a lot also..

almost an unfair advantage

 

[radiojake]

Twice as many draft picks...

as the suns

about, iirc

really?

I just assumed they had the same?

 

[Ghost Patrol]

The song is cringe and their jumper is atrocius

If that mascot was a midget that dressed in a little giant costume.... the song and jumper works a lot better

 

[Teen Wolf]

Given the AFL's previous form, I'm going for colossal accident. As for Gold Coast, there are hardly enough Aussie football supporters in Qld to support one team. Prior to some success this season, Brisbane had huge difficulties in attracting crowds of 20 K. Most of those who do arrive at games these days are on Zimmer frames, if at all. At least Sydney has a larger population base from which to operate. I don't think Sheedy's promotional skills initially can be underestimated.

The Suns averaged 16k at home during their one decent on-field season (10 wins).

The Giants have been around 12k-13k while contending for a flag the last four years. Take a bow, Kevin Sheedy.

 

[Colonial]

Having Breakfast point and the Lamberts was a major part.
We picked better quality with our experienced players as well.

 

[Professor Knowall]

SEN just about to discuss the rise of the Giants "from the ground up".

 

[CH Jazz]

In a word, leadership.

 

[longsuffreosupp]

Even if GWS weren't going well, geograhically it's still more attractive to go there, than the Gold Coast.

 

[Ok Boomer]

Recruited more of the right people on and off field and the development of a much more professional culture than Gold Coast had/has.

Tom Scully for example was mocked when he first signed, and while he was no superstar, he brought elite work rate and professionalism. Davis and Ward brought those qualities with leadership potential too.

Aside from Ablett and Harbrow, Gold Coast had a lot of misses.

 

[Damon_3388]

A large number of their top 20 draft picks have been busts. They've managed to flip them for more picks and talented pieces, and have made the most of pre-draft listings, role players and late picks.

 

[JackFlash]

Much more attractive to live and play football in Sydney than the Gold Coast ...

 

[Goomba1973]

1st - A board that functions
2nd - Stable coaching
3rd - Not actively seeking guns for hire ( i.e. Ablett) and focused on the draft and player development.
4th - They learned from the failed izzy experiment
5th - Have kept a core group, Cogs, Davies ect... to build a team around
6th - Good deal makers in the back ground

 

[Giant Gutsache]

Lenny Hayes - how could the young blokes not be inspired. Quality footballer - better bloke.

 

[jackster83]

(1) They got their initial picks right (IE Shiel, Treloar, etc). They've lost plenty of players but have been able to keep a steady influx of early picks. GC didn't, and lost most of them for peanuts.

(2) They've had plenty of quality coming through via the academy system. GC have only had a couple of decent players come through their academy.

(3) Stronger draft concessions via the mini draft system. I actually think this is the concession that GC get for this year - the ability to trade the best 17 year old(s) in exchange for players or picks this year.

(4) Off field setup - GC were established with cheap as chips facilities and football department staff. They've ended up with 15+ players on their injury list pretty much every year. GWS felt more measured and less rushed in their approach.

 

[Chuckie357]

I think the correct answer is “taking illicit substances and staying at someone else’s house instead of going to a golf course”

 

[Freomaniac]

"why were they given around twice as many picks as us" might be up there on the questions list

really?

almost an unfair advantage

Now that depends on what you say is an unfair advantage.

So GWS has 10,000 1st round picks. that is unfair? Your team had 5 picks in the top 20 in 2004 and wasted most of them.

Go back to 1987 When West coast and Brisbane Came in.

West coast did have draft picks. They only had 35 players in their 1987 squad. The other VFL clubs had 50. West coast only had 5 players that VFL experience from other clubs. The rest of the team were WAFL players. Mark Bairstow was picked up by Geelong in 1986. 10 days later the West coast eagles were formed. So all those 18-21 year olds West coast had in 1987 became 24-27 year olds in their 1992 flag.

Brisbane didnt have a strong state league like West coast had with the WAFL to get gun local talent. Like Brisbane, they only had 35 players. They didnt have 10 1st round picks. Each of the 12 VFL clubs had to give 2-3 players each. So essentially, most of Brisbanes team in 1987 were either old 30 year olds at the end of their careers or players in their prime 22-26 year olds that were rejects from other clubs. Yep thats a massive Advantage brisbane had in 1987

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

Twice as many draft picks...

as the suns

about, iirc

exactly the same draft picks as the suns 1,2,3,5,7,9,11,13,15 (with the additional 4 mini draft picks over 2 years, which we had to trade - and which we traded for picks instead of the offered spuds & journeymen some clubs expected us to take - would you take Robbie Nahas or pick 4 for Jeager O'Meara?)

so, No, not even close to "twice" the number of picks the suns got.

 

[RU_]

Gold Coast messed up at the name. You can’t call a team the ‘Gold Coast Suns’ and expect it to be successful. Shit name, shit starting strategy with Garry and the rest.

Giants had Sheeds who did the work, they don’t have a piss poor club name and players actually seem to want to be there.

 

[randyzany]

Squandered too much of their ill-gotten franchise lucre on Ablett. They assumed that footy is like basketball where 1 superstar can literally carry an entire team on his back to repeated finals appearances and hopefully success (i.e Jordan).

Doesn't work that way I'm afraid, footy is more about team depth in particular a team's best 10 players who ultimately carry the fringe ones to success. Think Hodge, Mitchell and Lewis making the likes of Puopolo appear to be semi decent players.

And that's where the Suns failed where GWS has excelled in, GC never managed to find multiple quality elite young players to play in their prime together such as Coniglio, Greene, Whitfield, Cameron, Davis, Ward etc.., that's the main difference between the 2 franchises.